U.S. Water News Online
LOS ANGELES -- Southern California needs to turn more ocean water into drinking water as part of an updated plan to augment the region's supplies by 2025, the nation's largest urban water district said.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's board adopted a revised plan that calls for increased seawater desalination and more water from Northern California over the next two decades.
About 18 million Southern Californians -- roughly one of every two state residents -- get their water from Metropolitan.
The additional supply amounts to an additional "buffer" of 500,000 acre feet of water. That's enough water to supply 1 million households for a year.
Half the water will come from increased seawater desalination, water recycling and groundwater. Increased storage and transfer from two massive water projects that ferry water from north to south -- the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project -- will make up the rest.
The additional supplies will cost the typical Southern California household $6 per year.
Metropolitan's biggest customer, the San Diego County Water Authority, said the plan fails to adequately address the region's short-term needs over the next five to seven years before local projects come on line.
"The unprecedented drought on the Colorado River and the unpredictable nature of State Water Project supplies warrant a more thorough analysis of likely and worst-case supply scenarios," Bernie Rhinerson, chairman of the San Diego County Water Authority wrote in a letter.
Southern California gets some of its water from the Colorado River, which scientists say is in the midst of what could be the century's worst drought.
Ron Gastelum, Metropolitan's chief executive, said drought is part of the district's plans.
"This plan assumes droughts, earthquakes, unexpected events," Gastelum said.
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